#parasoles

Ruby was only a sophomore quad drum player on the drumline, but she felt like she had a duty to keep her other section members in line. She was pretty much the de facto section leader because the other two quad players featured a very nervous freshman, and Emerald, who despite being a senior was the most misbehaved of them all. In fact, Ruby knew that one more mark against Emerald’s conduct would probably get her kicked out of band, and Ruby was not going to let that happen.

She was already having a hard enough time accepting that Emerald would be gone and off to college next year. Missing out on doing the only school activity that they shared would only make that even harder for Ruby. Of course they’d still hang out at lunch and after school, but...

Ruby opened the room door as quietly as she could to avoid waking her roommates, and she squinted down the long, bright hallway to spot Emerald walking away, with her other mischievous friends Mercury and Neo in tow.

Ruby was about to follow them, but she was only in her PJs and socks. But the three kids had already reached the elevator. Taking the time to put her shoes on would likely mean letting the three get away. She chewed on the inside of her mouth as she nervously considered what to do, then groaned and hurried after them, socked feet and all. She wanted to call out after them, but feared of waking other bandmates as she hurried past room after room.

She caught up to Emerald and the others just as the elevator doors opened. “Emerald,” she said quietly.

Emerald stopped and turned towards her as Neo and Mercury stepped into the elevator. “Oh, hey Ruby.” She smiled widely. She looked very awake at this late hour.

“Where are you going?” Ruby asked her, unable to keep herself from smiling in response despite her nerves. “If you get caught you’ll be in huge trouble.”

“But I’m hungry,” Emerald explained with a shrug. “Wanna come with us?”

Ruby glanced at Neo and Mercury. They were nice enough, though they kind of made Ruby nervous, considering how much trouble they were always getting into. It was so ironic that they were also members of band leadership. Ruby would never say so, but she felt like they were a bad influence on Emerald. Or was it the other way around?

“We’re just going to that convenience store down the road,” Mercury explained.

Neo tapped Ruby on the shoulder to get her attention, then she pointed down at her feet.

“Uhh, I forgot to put shoes on,” Ruby awkwardly explained. “I wasn’t planning on leaving. And...neither should you three. We’re all gonna be exhausted in the morning.”

“Exactly,” Mercury said with a shrug. “What’s the point in going to bed now when it’ll make no difference?”

Emerald nodded in agreement. “We’ll be fine. If you wanna come with, you could go get your shoes.”

Ruby didn’t want to come with, on account that she would get in trouble if caught along with them. But then again, if she did go with them, maybe that would keep them out of more trouble? Ruby often found that if she was present, Emerald or the others didn’t do anything particularly heinous. If she wasn’t present, however, Em did things that got her suspended from school, or put in a jail cell for a night. “I...” Ruby sighed. “I’m fine. I don’t need shoes.”

“So you’ll come?” Emerald asked, with a smile that was reward enough for Ruby’s risk taking.

“Sure,” Ruby said, smiling back. As long as they were just going to that convenience store down the street, maybe they could make it back without getting caught? Not to mention, a bag of cheese puffs sounded really good right now.

She stepped into the elevator with Emerald, and they headed to the ground floor. The tile beneath her feet was frigid cold, and it wasn’t until now that she remembered that it was probably cold outside as well. Yet none of the others wore anything more than what seemed like their sleeping attire, t-shirts and pajama bottoms, or in Emerald’s case, a pair of lime green running shorts. Well, except Neo, who had on a fleece jacket that looked a size too big. Ruby wasn’t particularly averse to the cold, but she didn’t expect this walk to the convenience store to be an easy one.

“Do you think we woke anyone else?” Mercury murmured as the elevator car arrived at the first floor.

“You didn’t wake me,” Ruby said. “I was already awake.”

“Couldn’t sleep, huh?” Mercury asked, then he glanced at Emerald and smirked. “Thinking about your girlfriend too much?”

Emerald elbowed him hard, but he only laughed. Emerald didn’t seem that bothered by his teasing, just glaring and smiling at him as Neo rolled her eyes and stepped off the elevator first. Ruby, on the other hand, was already a blushing mess. She’d never be brave enough to say so, but the teasing about being Emerald’s girlfriend always embarrassed her.

Mostly because she really wanted it to be true, but was too nervous to say anything.

“You’re just jealous because you could never get a girlfriend,” Emerald shot back at Mercury as they headed down the hallway towards one of the hotel’s side exits (presumably to avoid the front desk and the night manager snitching on them).

“Who needs a girlfriend when you’re first chair trombone?” Mercury asked, sounding ironic but at this point, who knew?

“You’re right, sorry.” Emerald giggled.

Ruby saw an opportunity to interject and be social, and also to gain a measure of revenge for the teasing directed at her and Emerald. “You mean Neo isn’t your girlfriend?”

Neo, who had been walking ahead of them, stopped in her tracks and doubled over, faux dry heaving in disgust.

Mercury put a hand over his face. “Oh god...Ruby is roasting me. I really am at an all time low, huh?”

Emerald laughed and smiled at Ruby. “Good one.”

Ruby swelled with pride. She had succeeded at conversing with her peers, something that was normal to want and possible to achieve. This late night escapade was already paying off.

The four of them stepped outside, and a chilly breeze blew through as if on cue. Ruby’s body broke out in goosebumps, and her spine shivered from the cold concrete beneath her feet, her socks not doing much to insulate her from the ground. At least she wasn’t as susceptible to the cold as Neo, who seemed to already be shivering and hugging herself despite being the most aptly dressed, the legs of her pink pajama bottoms flapping in the wind like flags.

“We should’ve brought jackets,” Emerald said.

“Says you,” Mercury said, seemingly unbothered by the cold. “This is my kind of weather.”

“I’m so jealous,” Emerald said as they followed Neo. “Hey Neo, maybe you could let your boyfriend hold you in his arms, he’s immune to the cold.”

Neo responded with a cough and an over-the-shoulder middle finger.

“I’m always up for a platonic cuddle,” Mercury remarked with a smile.

Neo spun around and faked a punch in his direction, causing him to flinch. “Gah—!”

Emerald laughed. “You’re so fucking weird, Merc.” 

“I said platonic!” He defended himself between gasps of laughter.

For all their mischievous ways, Mercury and Neo were really funny. Ruby imagined they really would be a cute couple, but then again, Mercury never seemed interested in dating, mostly because he was loud about it. Maybe he was overcompensating for a lack of confidence? (Ruby kept that mini-psychoanalysis to herself, figuring it was too deep of a dig). He seemed to prefer sticking with Neo and Emerald, or on his own playing a video game or drawing something. He wasn’t unattractive by any means, just...weird. As for Neo, well, there was a lot about her that was a mystery, mostly because she didn’t talk much (as in, didn’t use her text-to-speech on her phone very often). Besides playing flute in the band, Ruby didn’t know what else she did. She was very fashionable, so there might be something there. Even in plain pink pajamas, she was super cute. Not many people were shorter than Ruby, but no one was shorter than Neo.

Between their hotel and the convenience store was a large municipal reservoir. The tall, old chain link fence surrounding it was littered with No Trespassing signs, No Swimming signs, and, well, litter. A strong smell of stale rainwater blew across from the lake.

“Dare one of you to go jump into that lake,” Emerald said.

“Thanks, but I’m on a strict No Brain-Eating Amoeba diet,” Mercury quipped.

“Coward,” Emerald said.

“What would I get out of jumping into it?” He asked.

“You’d get me to stop calling you a coward.”

“I can live with that.”

Neo glanced over her shoulder at them, seeming like she was considering something. Then she turned and pulled her phone out, typing text-to-speach, “If one of you does it, I’ll give you the rest of my meal allowance money.” Neo’s chosen text-to-speech voice had a bit of a French accent.

“What’s that, like, fifteen bucks?” Emerald asked with a scoff. “Not worth it.”

“If all three of you gave me your food money, I might do it,” Mercury said.

“Might?” Emerald asked.

“Yep, might. You’ll have to pay up for me to consider it.”

“If we give you our money and you don’t do it, Neo and I are beating you up,” Emerald told him. “While Ruby watches because I don’t think she’d want to beat someone up.”

“I wouldn’t want to,” Ruby agreed. “But fifteen dollars can buy a lot of chicken nuggets.”

“I’m most scared of Ruby, to be honest,” Mercury said. “If she’s after me, I think I’d prefer jumping in potentially toxic water.”

“She’s got those drummer forearms,” Emerald agreed, smiling at Ruby, which made Ruby smile back. “Could probably knock you out in one shot.”

Ruby figured she was supposed to take that as a compliment.

They arrived at the convenience store parking lot, which was otherwise completely deserted. They entered to find a cashier at the front desk, so engrossed with their phone that they didn’t even look up when they walked in. Mercury made a beeline to the hotdog roller grill despite Emerald’s words of caution about late night gas station hotdogs. Neo and Emerald made the more sensible choices of some Lunchables and bags of chips, while Ruby grabbed a bag of her beloved cheese puffs.

It wasn’t until then did she realize she hadn’t brought any money with her. She deflated a bit and put the cheese puffs back.

“Hey,” Emerald said as Ruby joined her in line while Mercury bought his suspect frankfurter. “Aren’t you gonna get something?”

Ruby shook her head. “I didn’t bring any money.”

Emerald frowned. “I’ll buy it for you.”

Ruby smiled. “Thanks, but I don’t want to make you do that.”

“It’s no biggie. Since Merc’s too much of a coward to take the lake bet, I’ve got cash to spare.”

“Heard that,” Mercury muttered as he turned with already-half-eaten hot dog in hand. “And who said I’m not taking the bet? I just haven’t been paid in advance.”

“I’m not paying up unless I know I’m getting a return on my investment, wiener eater,” Emerald told him.

“Hey, your double entendres are uncalled for.”

“That was a dig at your food choice, not your suppressed bisexuality you’re still in denial about.”

“Hey?!”

Ruby and Neo snickered as Mercury waved his hot dog in her face. “Hey, I am not in denial about anything.”

Ruby spotted another chance to be clever. “So you can’t get a boyfriend, either? Rip.”

“Eyy!” Emerald cheered.

“Unprovoked?!” Mercury said, aghast.

Neo smirked approvingly at Ruby as she backed away from the counter with her purchase. Yesss, more social validation, Ruby thought, I’m on a roll.

“You deserve some cheese puffs after that, Ruby,” Emerald said, grabbing a bag of them off an end cap and placing them in front of the cashier with the rest of her goodies before Ruby could protest. Might as well accept Emerald’s kindness. She was always so sweet to her.

Would she miss Ruby as much as Ruby would miss her once she’d graduate? Would she even keep in touch?

Emerald handed the cheese puffs to Ruby and smiled. “There. Would’ve kinda sucked if you’d come all this way in just your socks for nothing.”

Ruby smiled at her. Her face felt hot, maybe from the way Emerald smiled at her. There was always that glint in her eyes that made Ruby smile right back.

As the four left the convenience store, Mercury stomped his foot, getting the rest’s attention. “Fine! I’ll do it.”

“Do what?” Emerald asked.

“I’ll jump in the lake,” he said.

“Wait, for real?”

“I’ve got to recover some of my dignity!”

“This is your way of recovering your dignity?”

With the three girls stopped in their tracks, Mercury stomped ahead of them. “I’ll show you!” He was miming anger, but Ruby suspected he actually wanted to do this, for some reason. To prove he could? Was he that bored, or that interesting in stretching his luck as thin as possible just to see if he’d get in trouble for it? Whatever it was, the group followed him towards the lake, each ducking through a gap in the old chain link and heading down the decline towards the water’s edge. The dirt and grass gave way to concrete a few feet from the water, giving them a ledge to sit and spectate from.

It didn’t smell too bad, so at least there was that.

“Merc, you know you don’t have to do this, right?” Emerald said, now realizing that Mercury was serious.

“I want that money,” Mercury declared as he stared down the freezing water. “I’m gonna eat like a king during our meal stop tomorrow!”

Neo typed a response, “So you’re going to return to your hotel room soaking wet?”

Mercury glanced at her, then shrugged. “Good point.” He then took his shirt off and tossed it at Neo. “Don’t wanna get these wet!”

“Holy shit, dude,” Emerald muttered.

“What? This is the only other outfit I have!” He remarked of his t-shirt and sweatpants, the latter of which followed soon after.

“You’re stripping in front of a bunch of girls, man,” Emerald reminded him.

“It’s okay, two-thirds of you are gay anyway,” he joked, handing his sweatpants to Neo as well, who looked flustered both by Mercury in his orange boxer briefs, and by being made an impromptu clothes rack. He then sat on the concrete ledge and began to remove his leg prostheses.

“We will pay you anyway at this point,” Emerald said with an incredulous laugh. “You don’t have to actually jump in.”

“No! I must prove myself!” He declared with a raised fist. “I am strong enough!”

“You’re going to freeze your skinny ass off, you dingus!”

“Leg,” Mercury deadpanned as he handed Neo a leg. Neo seemed to contemplate hitting him with it. “And I know that! And it’s going to feel gooood.”

Emerald glanced at Ruby. She really did seem genuinely concerned. Ruby was quickly learning that Emerald was the sane one in this friend group. Not that Neo was much more of an enabler of Mercury’s either. He was too stubborn to back down, even from a joke.

“Should I be recording this?” Emerald asked. “I feel like I should be recording this.”

“No! There can be no evidence of my crime,” Mercury said. “Leg.” He handed his other leg to Neo, whose arms were full now. He then got up on his knees, hands on his hips. He was almost taller than Neo even now. “Okay, here goes.”

“Should I play some hype music?” Emerald asked. “Maybe from Titanic? Or Jaws?”

“No, I’m hype enough.”

“Do we even know how deep it is?” Ruby asked.

“Should I go head first?” Mercury asked.

“No!” Emerald and Ruby both answered.

“Stubs first it is.” He looked over at Neo. “You’re in the splash zone, honey.”

She blinked and blushed, then frowned and held his clothes and prosthetics out over the water, threatening to drop them in.

“I was just warning you, I’m sorry, ma’am!” He yelped.

She nodded, satisfied with his brief groveling, and took a few steps back, standing to Emerald’s left while Ruby was at her right.

“You can still back out,” Emerald told him. “We won’t hold it against you.”

“That’s a lie,” he called over his shoulder.

“That’s fair.”

“Bon voyage!” He yelled, then jumped in. He entered the water with a splash, and the three girls ran to the edge of the platform to look.

He was completely submerged for a solid five seconds.

“Is he dea—” Emerald almost asked before Mercury surfaced, flailing his limbs and gasping for air. “Oh.”

“Help me!” He cried out, then his head went under for a moment. He surfaced again. “I can’t swim, one of you has to jump in… blublublub- and save me!”

The three girls just looked down at him. Only Ruby seemed slightly concerned. “You’re a bad actor, Merc,” Emerald said.

“I’m droowwwwning!” He called out dramatically. “Also this really is cold and I’m freezing which is making it harder to stay afloat, heeeelp!”

Emerald sighed and crouched down, reaching out to him. “Get back up here, you dumb fuck.”

He grabbed her by the wrist, and for a tense moment their eyes met...

“You wouldn’t,” Emerald murmured.

“No!” Ruby yelped and instinctively grabbed Emerald around her waist, worried Mercury was about to pull her in.

Emerald and Mercury both paused to look at her, then Mercury let out a laugh. “Aww! Okay that’s cute, not gonna lie.”

Emerald smirked at Ruby, then tugged on Mercury’s wrist, pulling him back onto the ledge. He scrambled to his knees and crossed his arms over his chest, his body trembling cartoonishly. “Why did I let you guys convince me to do that?”

“Ruby,” Emerald said. “Keep holding me back so I don’t yeet him back in the water.”

Ruby just now realized she was still holding Emerald around the waist. As nice as it felt, she let go. Her face burned with embarrassment.

“So now what?” Emerald asked Mercury. “Now you’re soaking wet, how you gonna get back to the hotel?”

His voice was shaking just like the rest of him. “I…wait till I’m dry…”

“Out here in this cold?” Emerald asked.

They heard Neo scoff, and she stepped toward Emerald and held out Mercury’s stuff to her. Emerald took it from her with a quizzical look. Neo then unzipped her jacket, revealing a t-shirt beneath, then turned to Mercury and held it out to him.

He stared at her jacket, then up at her face. “Thanks. But it’s not my size.”

Neo rolled her eyes and knelt down, taking him by the wrist and beginning to use her jacket like a towel, drying him off.

“Oh.”

“Aww,” Ruby cooed and grinned at them.

“Maybe you two really are boyfriend and girlfriend,” Emerald teased.

Neo whipped her head to the side to glare at her, but the way her face flushed was very plain to see. She refocused on doing what she could dry Mercury off.

“I f-f-feel so loved,” Mercury stuttered as his body continued to shake. “Thanks, Ne-Neo.”

Neo just shook her head as she finished drying his arms, and then handed the jacket to him to finish with the rest of his body.

“Well, now you’re going to freeze, Neo,” Emerald told her.

Ruby fake-sniffed like she was emotional. “They’ll freeze together, so romantic.”

Emerald giggled and elbowed her gently, smiling at her. Ruby smiled back.

Neo exhaled loudly as she hugged herself, her skin covered in goosebumps that Ruby could see from her position a few steps away. She simply frowned at Ruby, but didn’t keep eye contact with her for more than a half-second, looking at the ground instead. Something told Ruby that maybe Neo really did like Mercury. She just had strange ways of showing it, and hiding it.

Emerald pulled her phone out of the waistband of her shorts and checked the time. “We’ve been out for thirty minutes. We should probably head back.”

“Right,” Mercury muttered. “Right after I’m dry enough, get dressed, and reattach my legs, no prob.” At least he wasn’t shivering as much now. His naturally resilient body warmth seemed to be recovering.

Neo looked at Mercury, then turned to Emerald and Ruby. She rolled her eyes and waved her hand at them, as if shooing them away, back towards the sidewalk and back to the hotel.

“You two will be okay out here without us?” Emerald asked.

Neo nodded. Her jaw was set, her lips tugged to the side in a trembling grimace. She seemed to really want them to leave the two of them alone here.

Ruby glanced up at Emerald. Their eyes met, and Ruby was almost certain they were thinking the same thing. They shared a knowing smile, and Emerald nodded. “Alright I guess. Don’t freeze to death or anything.” She looked at Ruby. “Ready?”

Ruby nodded. As much as she wanted to observe more Neo and Mercury cuteness/awkwardness, she was really starting to hate the cold. Her feet were beginning to lose feeling. “Be safe, you two,” she wished them, then turned with Emerald to head back up the path to the sidewalk.

After leaving Merc’s stuff behind and taking a few steps (so they were out of earshot), Emerald chuckled as she walked by Ruby’s side. “Five bucks on them kissing.”

Ruby giggled. “You’re betting? Don’t we owe Mercury all of our money now?”

Emerald blinked, then groaned. “Oh fuck, you’re right.” She was laughing though. “I mean, if this somehow leads to those two getting together, it’s probably worth it. It’s agonizing watching Neo hide her feelings so poorly.”

Was it that obvious to Emerald? Neo always seemed so cool and measured when it came to appearances and expressions. It’s what made her so intimidating despite being 4’10” in shoes. She’d make a good poker player. But maybe she wasn’t so good under pressure when it came to crushes. Ruby could relate…

“Would kinda suck, though,” Emerald continued. “Neo’s going to college out of state. I’m not sure if Merc is even going to college. Long distance would suck.”

That struck close to a very sensitive nerve for Ruby. That was the exact fear she had about her and Emerald, with the added caveat of them not even being in a relationship. That would probably mean it would be so much easier for Emerald to just fall out of contact, and they’d drift apart further and further until…

Ruby had to say something. Right now. She was out here in the middle of the night in her socks for a reason, she thought. She couldn’t pass up on taking this chance, out here while they walked down a sidewalk in the middle of a city they’d never been to and would probably never return to. This had to be the moment, because if not now, when would she ever build up the courage like this?

Was it really courage? Or just her tiredness coupled with fear of growing apart from Emerald finally boiling over? Whatever the case, she spoke up.

“They could make it work,” Ruby said. Her pace slowed until she stopped walking. Emerald stopped more abruptly ahead of her when she realized Ruby had halted, and she looked back at her. “Like…we could?”

Emerald met her eyes. They looked darker than their normal vibrant red, like a dark red wine under the night sky. Her mouth hung open. She seemed confused, yet afraid to say so.

Ruby took in a breath, puffing her chest out like she did when giving a presentation for class. “Emerald, you’re…you’re a senior, and I’m a sophomore, so that means you’re leaving next year and I can’t go with you.”

Emerald blinked, and her tense shoulders relaxed a little. She seemed to need to hear more, but she was starting to get where it might be going.

“I’m…” Ruby started her statement but struggled to continue. With so many feelings to sort through, she didn’t know what she should admit to first. She decided to keep it simple. “I…I like you, Em. I’ve…liked you for so long, and…” her voice was beginning to tremble, also like when she’d give a class presentation. “I just…I feel like I’m losing my chance to be with you by waiting because I’m scared of admitting this to you, so that’s why I’m…” She was rambling now. No point in continuing. She needed to know what Emerald thought. “So…?”

Emerald was still frozen, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. When she recognized that Ruby was done talking, she seemed to gather herself, processing it all. She ran a finger across her cheek and tucked some green hair behind her ear, only for it to fall back into its bob cut position. She looked to the side and smiled. “Ruby…why’d you wait…? Well, you just told me why you waited, never mind,” she stammered.

Ruby had never seen her this flustered. Was that a good sign?

Emerald inhaled and nodded. “I…feel so dumb right now,” she admitted with a giggle. “I should have known, but…I guess it’s one thing to pick up on Neo liking someone else than someone liking me…I guess it’s just not as believable…” her voice trailed off, like she regretted talking for that long.

Ruby wanted to refute her, to tell her than she was very likable, and pretty, and funny, and stunningly attractive in ways Ruby couldn’t describe, but she didn’t trust herself to speak without stammering like a broken CD player. She waited for her to continue.

Emerald looked back up at her and smiled. “So…you like me, huh? That’s…that’s cool. Really cool, I… Wow.” She pushed her hair behind her ear again. Ruby had never seen her do that before, but she seemed to be doing it a lot now. “I’m…flattered. And…confused why you feel that way about me of all people, but—”

“I’ve never felt like this before, Emerald,” Ruby said, somehow settling on another admission and voicing it all at once. “I’ve…never had a crush before. But you…” She squeezed her hands into fists, willing herself to keep her composure. She wanted Emerald to hear this. She wanted her to know how she felt, even if it might scare her off. No more pushing it down, no more hiding. “There’s so much about you that just…” She felt herself smiling dumbly. Thinking about all of the ways Emerald made her happy did that to her. “You’re amazing, Em. You’re so cool, and pretty, and…sassy?” Not sure why that was the next adjective she thought of. It made Emerald laugh and blush, at least. “And…the thought of you leaving, and us growing apart, it makes me feel scared. Of course I don’t want to hold you back from whatever you choose to do, but…at the very least, I want to keep in touch. I want to still see you, maybe visit some times? I dunno, I just think…”

“Ruby,” Emerald said, stepping forward, saving Ruby from another ramble. Even out in the cold, Ruby could feel her faint warmth close to her. “I was never going to let us fall out of touch. Do you think I’d give up the closest friend I have?”

Ruby tilted her head. “I’m you’re closest friend? But what about Neo and Mercury?”

Emerald laughed again, grinning wide. Ruby wanted to kiss her on that cute nose so bad right now. “You know how after section rehearsals, when you and I just wait under that tree outside the band hall while we wait for our rides to show up?”

Ruby nodded.

“And you know how your sister always shows up first?” Emerald asked. “You’ve never seen me get picked up before you, right?”

Ruby nodded again. “Yeah?”

“It’s because I’m not waiting for anyone,” Emerald said. “No one comes to give me a ride. After you get picked up, I just walk the mile home. I wait there with you because I love just sitting and talking to you.”

Ruby’s eyes widened, her breath stalling in her lungs for a moment. “So…you’d rather sit on the ground and watch me play my dumb anime MMOs than go home?”

Emerald grinned and nodded. “No game streamer provides the type of let’s play commentary like you when you’re fighting a 2D monster, Ruby. Like I’d miss out on that.”

“I’m not annoying when I do that?” Ruby asked genuinely.

“Watching you fall to your back dramatically and wail in anguish is very entertaining,” Emerald said with a smile.

“Are you saying I’m funny when I lose?” Ruby asked half-jokingly.

Emerald rolled her eyes. “Ruby, I’m saying you’re you, in the most effortless way I’ve ever seen. Watching you play your ‘dumb anime MMOs’ and obsessing over ‘sick stick tricks, bro,’ you look so…fuckin’ happy!” She sighed. “It makes me jealous, honestly. You really don’t give a shit about what others think.”

That wasn’t necessarily true. Ruby just gave up on trying to fix the things she felt embarrassed about because the changes never seemed to stick. Maybe that was for the best, judging by Emerald’s words.

“And…yeah, me going off to college…” She sighed. “It scares the crap out of me, because if you’re not there with me, then who do I go to…to get that same second-hand high?”

Ruby looked up at her, astonished. “I…make you high?”

Emerald laughed again, pressing a hand to the center of her chest. “What I mean is, if you’re worried about us growing apart, don’t be. I was worried about that, too. But I decided on a solution.”

“What’s that?” Ruby asked hopefully.

“Well, not so much as decided, more like lucked out, but…” she smiled. “I happened to be the recipient of a full-ride scholarship…to Vale Capitol Community College!” She raised a fist in the air. “Goooo Magpies!”

“You’re…staying in Vale City?” Ruby asked, unknowingly rising into her toes.

Emerald nodded. “Yep! Besides, who wants to live in shitty dorms at an overpriced university when I’ve already saved up enough for a shitty student apartment right next to a reasonably priced campus, right? A student apartment that you can visit anytime, without my weirdo foster parents around!”

“No more wind chimes?” Ruby asked.

Emerald groaned, pressing her palms to her forehead. “No more ‘Largest Wind Chime Collection In North-Central Vale’!”

“That’s awesome, Emerald!” Ruby was psyched for her. A full-ride scholarship and being able to move out to her own apartment? It was everything Emerald had talked about wanting. Plus, if she was staying in Vale City… “So…does that mean you and me can…?”

Emerald sighed softly and smiled at her. “You and me can…what?” She asked, smirking.

Ruby blushed. “Can we go out together?”

Emerald put a finger to her chin and looked around. “Hmm…I feel like we’re out right now. Though I don’t think we should count this as a first date.”

Ruby shook her head. “Oh no, this was a terrible first date. Besides the cheese puffs.”

“Right, of course.”

“Can we go on a real date soon, though?”

Emerald nodded. “I would love to.”

Ruby smiled. “Nice.”

Wow, this felt a lot less spectacular than Ruby had fantasized about.

“So…” Emerald murmured. “Wanna kiss?”

Scratch that.

“Weh?!” Ruby yelped.

Emerald snickered and flicked her wrist at her. “Joking! I don’t think this is the best spot for a first kiss.”

Ruby sighed and nodded. “My lips are so chapped right now.”

“I will kiss you for real soon, though.”

“Promise?” Ruby asked, rising onto her toes.

“Promise,” Emerald nodded. “Also, you’ve got some cheese dust on your cheek,” Emerald said.

“This whole time?!” Ruby raised her hand to feel her face, but Emerald gently grabbed her wrist. Ruby looked up at her eyes, then held her breath when she saw Emerald lean down. She kissed her cheek lightly, then leaned back up. Ruby blinked. “Oh.”

“I lied, you’re good,” Emerald said with a cheeky grin.

Ruby’s face burned, and she briefly felt less cold, though she’d kind of forgotten about the cold for a while now. “That was sweet.”

“There’s more where that came from,” Emerald promised. “Cutie.”

Ruby made a noise that sounded like a hiccup. “Excuse me?”

“What? Too soon for pet names?” Emerald asked.

“Not at all, uhm…” Ruby struggled. “Honey bunch?”

Emerald’s cheeks puffed out with an initial attempt not to laugh, then she burst into hysterics a second later, leaning forward and grinning wide. “You’re so fucking cute, oh gods…”

Ruby chuckled along with her, but was too distracted by the opening she had before her. Emerald was leaned forward, unsuspecting, her kissable nose in range. She acted swiftly, leaning forward, and smooched her nose quickly. She shuffled back just as fast.

Emerald stopped laughing and stared at Ruby. “Oh.”

“There’s…more where that came from?”

Emerald sighed and smirked, offering her hand to Ruby. “You’re a dork,” she teased.

Ruby reached to take her hand, but then noticed Emerald glance past her shoulder. Ruby turned to look as well as Emerald muttered, “Oh, no fucking way.”

Walking their way down the sidewalk, now once again dressed and…legged(?), was Mercury, with Neo in his arms. When he saw them turn to look their way, he stopped, stared back for a moment, then went, “Oop.”

Neo, who was still shivering slightly, was clinging to him with a koala-style hug. She looked over her shoulder, saw Emerald and Ruby looking at them, and she gasped and buried her face in his neck to hide her embarrassment.

“You two are still out here?” Mercury asked as he began walking again, nearing them.

“We were talking,” Emerald said, tilting her head to the side. “And so did you two, huh?”

“Well I did most of the talking,” Mercury deadpanned, earning him a small whack on the back of the head from Neo, who was still hiding as best she could. Mercury seemed to be expending no effort to hold her up like this. The perks of being small. “Turns out she’s a simp” Another whack. “And she actually does like me, which is absolutely insane, but I gladly accept it anyway.”

Ruby grinned. “That’s adorab—”

“What a coincidence!” Emerald said, reaching over and wrapping an arm around Ruby’s shoulder, making her tense up and blush instantly. “Ruby and I are a thing now, too.”

“For real?” Mercury asked, tilting his head to the side skeptically. Neo reached a hand around to show a thumbs up of approval to the other new couple. “My jokes about you two being gay for each other were correct?”

“You’re more observant than me, that’s for sure,” Emerald said with a giggle, giving Ruby a reassuring smile. Ruby felt a warm fuzziness in her chest. “Guess this trip to the convenience store was a good idea after all, huh?”

Ruby scoffed and nodded. “Oh yeah. Thanks for not listening to me being a goody two shoes. This was totally worth going out in the cold.” She shuffled her feet a bit. “I can’t really feel my feet, though.”

“Neither can I,” Mercury agreed. “We definitely should get inside.”

“Aww, gotta take care of the new GF, huh?” Emerald teased him.

He smiled proudly. “Of course!” Neo seemed to wince in his arms.

Ruby giggled as the group turned and began on the rest of the way back to the hotel. Emerald didn’t take her arm away from around Ruby’s shoulders at any point. Ruby really wished she had managed to be roommates with her for this trip, but they always grouped people by grade level. Parting from her for the night would suck.

Oh fuck, now she was thinking about sharing a bed with Emerald. Guess she knew what she’d be thinking about all night until falling asleep. Well, if she managed to fall asleep.

They all made it back into the hotel and up to their floor without causing alarm. By then, they’d all eaten their snacks, which despite being the reason they’d  sneaked out in the first place, felt like footnotes to the whole endeavor. While Mercury dropped Neo off at her room, Emerald walked with Ruby to drop her back off at her own. It was only a few doors down from Emerald’s and Neo’s room, but Ruby liked the gesture. It felt as if Emerald had properly walked her home after a date.

“Hope you can actually get some sleep now,” Emerald said as they stood in front of the door. “I figure even a morning person like you has her limits,” she teased.

Ruby chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah...I might be a little sluggish tomorrow. I never stay up late like this.”

“Well, now you’re dating me, so just to warn you, that might change if you let me rub off on you too much,” Emerald joked.

Ruby shrugged. “You’re worth staying up late for.”

Emerald blinked at her, then looked to the side and smiled, flattered. “You’re so sweet.” She leaned forward and kissed her cheek again. “Good night, Ruby. See you in a few hours?”

Ruby’s face was alight with a blush once again. She beamed and nodded. “Good night, Em. Sleep good!”

Emerald giggled and waved as she began down the hall. “You too.”

Ruby watched her walk away, and let out a sigh. That had gone really well. Better than she could have imagined, even. She didn’t really feel relieved or ecstatic that she was Emerald’s girlfriend now. It all had happened in such a natural and understated way, it almost felt like a foregone conclusion in hindsight.

Guess all it took was waiting until the right moment.

Ruby turned to her door, reached for the handle, then paused. Oh...fuck. She’d forgotten her room key inside. She didn’t want to knock, or else she’d wake her roommates, and maybe neighboring rooms as well. Fuck fuck fuck...

“Get locked out?” Emerald asked as she came walking back towards Ruby.

Ruby flinched, surprised that Emerald had returned. She smiled nervously and nodded. “Yeah. Like a dummy.”

Emerald rolled her eyes, then seemed to get an idea. She smiled and held up her own room key. “So you know how us seniors get rooms of just three people. Which means I get a queen sized bed all to myself.” She looked to the side and shrugged. “If you wanted...there’s plenty of room to spare if you were to come with me...and share?”

Ruby’s eyes grew wide. She couldn’t agree quick enough. “Yes, yes, yes please!”

Emerald giggled and offered her hand. “Cool. Though I have an important question.”

“Huh?” Ruby asked as she took her hand and walked with her down the hall.

“Big spoon or little spoon?”

How could Ruby possibly pick from two completely perfect, flawless options like that?! Her brain with blank for a moment, then restarted with she took a deep breath. “I will be any spoon you want.”

“Little spoon it is,” Emerald teased, winking at her.

Now Ruby didn’t even want to fall asleep. That would just mean missing out on this. She had to be conscious for all the Emerald spooning she could. She bet her arms were really comfy to be in...

They arrived at Emerald’s room and entered. Her roommate Cinder was on the fold-out sofa bed in the main room, lying on her side and hugging a pillow, asleep. Emerald and Ruby did their best to sneak past without waking her. Cinder was the type to report anything to the directors, which was probably why she was put with Emerald and Neo so often. Good thing she was such a deep sleeper (who snored, Ruby now learned).

They made it to the bedroom and slowly shut the door behind them. On one of the queen sized beds was Neo. She seemed to be going through the same “holy shit we’re dating now” feeling with Mercury as Ruby was with Emerald, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, blushing like mad.

“Ruby got locked out,” Emerald remarked to Neo quietly. “Sooo she’s sharing a bed with me.”

Neo stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes, as if to express her jealousy that she couldn’t do the same with Mercury. She did smile at them as they walked past towards the other bed, though, so she did seem happy for them.

Emerald hopped back into her bed and patted the pillow next to her, smiling at Ruby. Ruby pressed her lips together in a show of trying to suppress her excitement as she laid down, rolling over so her back was to Emerald.

“Good night, simps,” Emerald joked, making Ruby and Neo laugh. She turned off the lamp, and then Ruby felt her arm around her, and her body press against her back. She instantly felt a comforting warmth envelop her. Oh yeah, she would never, ever get tired of this feeling. Even if being cuddled by Emerald was a very effective way to get her to fall asleep, against her best efforts to stay awake and enjoy it.